Machine for loading railroad cars



G. MANIERRE ucama ma LOADING RAILROAD cmzs Filed se i. 17, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 for George .M!

G. MANIERRE IIACHINE FDR LOADING RAILROAD'CARS Filed Sept. 17. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 flex/ rye Male/we Feb. 1925,

G. MANIERRE HAC'HINE FUR LOKDING RAILROAD F Filed Sept 17:, 4

\w R g x Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE MANIERRE, or MILWAUKEE, wrsoonsm.

MACHINE FOR LOADING RAILROAD CARS.

Application filed September 17, 1923. Serial No. 663,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, GEORGE MANIERRE, a citizen of-the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Machine for Loading Railroad Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in car loaders.

It .is an object of the invention to provide a transportable loader which can readily be handled by a single workman so as to be moved to operative or inoperative position relatively to a box car to be loaded.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a transportable light weight loader which can readily be adjusted after having once been introduced into the car so as to vary the trajection of the material thrown by the loader into the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transportableloader of this character in which angular adjustment of a conveyor structure either in 'a vertical plane or in ahorizontalpl'ane, or in both, may be effected by the workingmen without requiring the workingmen to enter the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transportable light weight loader of the character described which is driven by a motor of relatively light weight and high speed, and to provide in combination with this prime mover of the loader means for reducing the speed of the conveyor and to protect these transmission means against the entrance of dust or other impurities which frequently interfere with the operation and which in known loaders made it essential to use as a prime mover a relatively heavy motor of slow speed so as to avoid the introduction of inducing gearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a loader of this character and in combination with a relatively small prime mover, a counterweighing device for the conveyor structure and to reduce the weight of this counterbalance so as not to interfere with the transportabilityof the entire machine.

It is also an object of the invention to provide in combination with the conveyor structure of a loader means for preventing the discharge of material carried into the car from one portion of the conveyor to another p01 tion of the same and to render these means, which protect the conveyor, adjustable to the same extent to which the conveyor itself is rendered adjustable in order to prevent excessive sag of the operative or carrying part of the conveyor.

The invention also has the-obiect of providing in a transportable light weight loader means associated with the conveyor frame for intermittently supporting the carrying portion of the conveyor to, prevent undue sag thereof and to arrange these intermittent supports on the conveyor frame itself in such manner as notto interfere 1 with the operation of the conveyor.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide in a transportable loader of the character described means for pre-, venting the accumulation of the material carried by the loader on the circumference of the pulleys over which the conveyor belt, forming part of the loader. is trained and continuously scrape the outer surfaces of these pulleys so as to maintain them in operative position.

Theinvention also has the object of arranging these scraping devices for the pulleys of the conveyor belt in -;such manner as to retain them automatically in engagement .with the respective pulleys even though the distance between the pulleys may be adjusted within relatively wide limits. j

Withthese and numerous other objects in view anembodiment of the invention is described in the following specification and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, .to which reference is .made in the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is'a side elevation of the loader introduced into a car which is shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the loader, the car being shown in transverse section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal detail section through the conveyor structure of the loader and adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the far end of the loader and tensioning device for the conveyor belt;

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the driving pulley on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, but shown on a larger scale;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the conveyor structure with parts shown. in section;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view and part elevation of a transmission gearing between motor and belt;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 6 through an idler roller for su porting the conveyor belt, and

ig. 9 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale showing the chute in the interior of the conveyor frame.

The loader comprises a truck, preferably consisting of a frame 1 and rear wheels 2 and casters 3. To facilitate the manipulation of this truck one or more hand bars 4 may be connected with the truck frame 1.

An approximately central vertical hearing 1 of the truck frame 1 serves for rotatably supporting on said truck frame a bifurcated member 6 by which the loader proper is carried- This bifurcated member is provided with a tubular extension 6 rotatably fitted in the bearing 1, and resting on the same by means of a shoulder.

The prongs 7 of the bifurcated rotatable yoke 6 are offset laterally relatively to the sleeve 6, Fig. 3. The prongs 7 are shown to be channel shaped in cross-section and in the space between the two flanges of the channel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, upright bars 8 are secured by means of bolts 9. These bars, which extend the prongs, are provided at their top ends with trunnion bolts 10 in which brackets 11 for the conveyor frame are rotatably supported. These brackets or plates 11 are fixedly'connected near their bases with longitudinal frame members 12 of angle iron, and for this purpose additional angle brackets 13 have their horizontal plates 14 secured to the horizontal flanges of the bars 12, while the vertical shorter flanges of the angle brackets 13 are riveted to the vertical plates llto hold them in position. A transverse brace 16 for the conveyor frame is riveted at 17 to these triangular plates 14 and reinforcesthe entire structure.

A hopper preferably made of sheet metal and comprising two lateral walls 19 and an inclined rear wall 20 also is secured to the conveyor frame by plates 21 which are mounted on the outer surface of the lateral walls 19, thelower ends of these plates 21 being secured to the inner vertical flanges ofthe longitudinal angle iron bars 12, Figs. 3 and 6, and being also attached to short angle irons 22 which are riveted to the horizontal flanges of the longitudinal main bars Another brace or reinforcement for the longitudinal bars 12 of the conveyor frame is secured at the far end. as indicated in Fig. 6 near the right hand portion. A transverse brace 16 is shown mounted on the horizontal flanges of the longitudinal bars12 and is connected to triangular plates 15 which are also fastened to these bars.

This conveyor frame furthermore serves for retaining in position longitudinal skirt material from the interior of this frame towards opposite sides of the same. A plate 27 is secured to the vertical flange of each brace 16 projecting down between the angle irons 12 to which the plates 27 also are securedbv the'angle pieces 26. Between the plates 27 a chute is secured which comprises two downward slanting portions 28 longitudinally of the conveyor frame. opposite side of the plates 27 similar shorter chutes extending in the opposite direction are secured as shown at 29, and 30 respectively in Figs. 3 and 6. This entire chute is adapted to discharge sideways the material which might drop from the upperor carrying portion of the conveyor to prevent the material from dropping on the lower portion of the conveyor. The free edge of At the iii!) the additional chute 29 is bent at- 31 in diis prevented over the entire length thereof" and all material is discharged laterally of the conveyor.

An additional guard is provided at the far end of the conveyor for the purpose of preventing the material to be loaded from adhering on the far pulley. Plates 34 are secured to bearings 35 in which the shaft 36 for the far pulley 37 is supported. and

, a transverse angle 38 is secured to the frame portion of the plates. Another transverse bar 39 having an edge 40 is fastened to the vertical flange of the transverse angle iron 38 and engages at its edge the face of the pulley, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The brackets 24'for supporting the skirt boards 25 also serve as supports for idler rollers over which the conveyor belt 41 travels. As illustrated in Fig. 8the idler rollers are constructed as tubular members 42 secured at their ends to collars 43 loosely riding on the transverse shafts. 44 which extend through the brackets 24. The shafts 44 are provided with squared extensions 45' at one end, projecting through a corre sponding squared opening of the bracket 24, so as to be held against rotation. The other ends of the shafts 44'may be circular and are provided with a longitudinal bore 46 communicating with a radial branch 47. Lubricant may be introduced by way of these bores 46, 47 into the interior of the idler roller 42. The axial bore 46 .may be closed by a screw plug 48, and a cotter pin or the like may extend through the squared portion 45 for holding the shaft 44 against axial displacement.

The driving pulley 50, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, preferably ismade of sheet metal and split. It is provided with sets of spokes 51 which are connected in a known way with the hub elements 52. These hub elements are keyed at 53 to a shaft 54 which is supported in bearings 55 forming the inner terminal portions of arms 56, which are rigidly secured to the conveyor frame near the bracket plates 21. The pulley. 37 at the far end is of similar construction. The shaft 54 projects at one end beyond the bearings 55 and is provided with a spaocket 57 also keyed to the projecting en a The two arms 56, which are rigidly associated with the conveyor structure, serve for supporting a platform 58 extending transversely of both of the arms and uniting the same, and on this platform near the rear end the motor 59 is rigidly mounted in some suitable way. The armature shaft of the motor carries at the end projecting from the motor casing a pinion 60 (Fig. 7) in engagement with a larger gear 61 mounted on a stub shaft .62which is supported in the gear casing 63 secured to the platform which projects between the two arms 51. The stub shaft 62 projecting from the casing also carries a sprocket from which a drive chain 64 extends to the sprocket 57 on the shaft 54 of the driving pulley 50. The gear casing 63 therefore serves as a protection for the workmen and also assures the maintenance of the gearing 1n proper operative condition. permitting the gears to run in oil.

The drivechain 64 may be shrouded or partly protected as shown at 65 so as to maintain the same in operative condition and to prevent interruption of the operation through dust or other impurities which might otherwise interfere with the use of the loader.

For the purpose of, regulatin the tension of the belt 41 the shaft 0 the rear pulley 37 is supported in bearings 35 which form each a part of bearing brackets 66 adjustably mounted on both longitudinal angle iron bars 12 near the rear end of the same; These brackets 66 are provided with longitudinal slots 67 through which bolts 72 extend, these bolts being secured to the vertical flanges of the angle iron bars 12. They therefore serve in conjunction with. the slots 67 as means for guiding the brackets 66 and for maintaining the same in parallel relation to each other. The brackets 66 furthermore are each provided at the front end in opposition to the bearings in which the pulley 37 is supported with a web or flange 68 through which an adjustable screw 69 extends. The front end of this screw is'seated in a bracket 70 riveted to the longitudinal angle iron 12. The position of the brackets 66 may therefore be varied by loosening the nuts mounted on the screw and engaging the web 68, and retightening these nuts against the web after the brackets 66 have been shifted.

The brackets 66 also have each a lug 71 through which extends a bolt 72 secured to theadditional chute 32; owing to this arrangement every longitudinal adjustment of the pulley 37 relatively to the pulley 50, and effected by the adjustment of the brackets 66, will be accompanied by an adjustment of the chute extension 32 and the scraper plate, so that the relation of these scraping devices and the chute with respect to the pulley remains unaltered.

For the purpose of effecting angular ad justment of the entire conveyor frame with respect to the bifurcated member 6 and the truck, on which saidconveyor structure is rotatable about a vertical axis, brackets 'project from the bifurcated member 6, Figs. 2 and 3. Two transverse pins 81 connect these two brackets. These pins act as holding members for an adjusting bar 82 having a series of notches 83 in one edge. The bar itself is pivotally lUt angle iio mounted on a pin 84, which is secured to brackets 85 on the lower face of the platform 58 on which the motor is mounted.

It is obvious therefore that an angular adjustment of the bar about its pivot pin is feasible. v

As the motor 59 itself with the parts on which it is supported may not be quite as heavy as the conveyor structure it is desirable to provide in addition to the weight of the motor. a counterbalancing device, which in the embodiment illustrated is shown as a spring 90 having one end hooked into a link 91 which is pivoted at 92 to the bifurcated member 6 while the other end of the spring is secured to a transverse plate 93 carried by, one or more screws 94 which.

project froman angle bar- 95 attached to the rear of the platform. Owing to the arrangementgof the screw 94 the position of the plate 93 relatively to the other parts of 5 the device may be varied, and hence an adjustment-of the tension of the spring 90 may be/effected- 1 Theflcon'veyor belt may be'mad'e of rubber, canvas or stitched material of standard design, and may be provided with cross slats (not showp), in case it is desired to load the car with lumpy material instead of material ingranular or powdered form. The machine 'isiprimarily designed to meet the demand for a light-portable loader which can be manufactured at low cost. The conveyor frame described is preferably short enough to permitthe entire frame to be turned from one end of a box car towards the truclgthis rotary movement of the entire frame about a vertical axis being effected by the laborer who for this purpose turns the handle 97 at the rear end of thebar 95. From Fig. 1 it will be seen that this rear portion or h'andle of the adjusting bar is readily accessible through the door of the box can when the device is in operative position so as not to. require the Workstructure about the vertical axis.

In a similar wayan angular adjustment about the horizontal axis formed by the trunnions.10 may be effected. The workman again grasps the handle 97 arid through depressing said handle raises theopposite end of the bar until the latter is disengaged from one of the holding pins in the brackets whichare' mounted on the bifurcated part.

40 The other transverse pin near the upper end of the bracket acts as a stop'to prevent an "excessive elevating movement of the inner end of the bar. The workman tthen de-.

presses the rear end of this bar .and as the bar is secured to the platform 58, the platform with the motor will also be depressed. The arms 56 rigidly connected with the'oonveyor frame are forced downwardly so as i to swing the rear end of the frame down about the trunnions 1O while the front end of the conveyor structure be raised thereby so as to assume for instance the position indicated in Fig. 1, whereby the materialcarried by the belt will be discharged from the outer end of the belt in the desired trajectory path.

For the .purpose of supplying the material to the hopper 19 a loading chute 100 is J used as indicated in Fi 1 and 2, to discharge the material to beloa-ded into .the

hopper. This material drops on the-rear or lower end of the conveyor and the rear wall 20 of the hopper prevents the discharge e of the material onto the platform or. other parts in the proximity of the motor. The

lower portiofi of the conveyor.

men to'enter the .car in, order to turn the conveyor belt ,carries this material on its upper portion to the far end of, the frame, and in this conveying operation an undue sag of the'conveyor owing to the load ofthe material is prevented by the arrangement of the idler rollers 42. The chute 28 extending longitudinally of the conveyor between the upper and lower part of the same and supported by longitudinal angle irons 12 of the-frame structure is of great advantage in preventing discharge of the conveyed material onto the inner surface of the This chute furthermore may be extended or shortened in accordance with the distance between the two pulleys and the projecting edges of the fixed and adjustable extensions on this roofshap'ed chute act asmeans for maintaining the pulleys in clean condition, a feature which the other'without requiring a movement Ofpis or great importance in devices of this adjustment of the device is greatly facili- Qtated as compared with those devices which have been in practical use up to the present time. By the substitution of a spring 90 to maintain the balance of the conveyor frame in place of a heavy counterweighted motor and its bed plate a great lightness of the entire structure is attained so as to facilitate the transportation of the entire device from one box car to another by one 1 ortwo workmen.

' I claim:

1. A car loader comprising in combination a truck frame, a conveyor frame, a bifurcated support for said conveyor frame os'cillatably secured to said truck frame and rotatable about a vertical axis, a common meansfor effecting adjustment of said support' horizontally and of the conveyor frame vertically on the sup-port, and a driving means .connected with said conveyor frame. I

2. A car loader comprising in combination a truck, a'conveyor frame oscillatable about a vertical axis extending'through the truck, a support interposed between the 1 truck and the frame, and counterbalancing means' for the frame interposed betweensaid support and the frame at one end of the frame.

. 3. A car loader comprising in combination a truck, a conveyor frame, a support rotatable about a vertical axis on the truck and onwhich the conveyor frame is oscillatable about a horizontal axis, and adjustable counterbalancing 'meansinterposed between the support and said frame at one end ofthe frame.

4.'A car loader comprising in combination a truck. a COIIVQYOIKTIHJIIG, a support 

